How Long Should Your Interview Process Take? We Found Out

The time it takes to hire someone can speak volumes about what a company is like. A particularly lengthy interview process could be a sign that you’re not the company’s first choice for the role, or that they’re not very well-organized overall. On the flip side, too short of a process might signal that a company isn’t prioritizing whether or not it’s a good fit for both parties.

But when you’re that emotionally invested in an opportunity, it’s difficult to objectively determine whether or not your interview process is taking an appropriate length of time — if you’re jazzed about an opportunity, a recruiter saying they’ll get back to you in a week regarding next steps can feel like an eternity. So how can you tell whether or not things are moving along at a typical pace?

Where You Live Matters

The average length of the hiring process in the U.S. is about 23.8 days, which is on par with the global average but slightly up from 2014 (22.9 days). But even within the country, there can be significant differences. At 33.2 days, Washington D.C. takes about 9 days longer than the U.S. average, likely due to the stricter screenings needed for the many federal government jobs located there. Albany, NY (33.2 days) and Richmond, VA (27 days) follow D.C. as the cities with the longest hiring processes, while Kansas City, MO (16.9 days), Oklahoma City, OK (17.9 days), and Akron, OH (18 days) are the quickest.

The Industry Impact

Your interview process can also be longer or shorter depending on which industry you’re in. Government jobs take almost twice the average U.S. length to fill (53.8 days total,) followed by Aerospace & Defense (32.6 days) and Energy & Utilities (28.8 days). Those in the Restaurants & Bar industry can expect speedy interview processes (just 10.2 days), as can people in Private Security (11.6 days) and Supermarkets (12.3 days).

With concrete numbers to benchmark yourself against, hopefully you can rest a bit easier — after all, if you want to make a good impression on recruiters, it’s best to spend less time stressing and more time preparing. Now go forth, do your research, and show those recruiters what you’re made of!

Didn’t see your city, industry, or job title in this blog? Check out the full study for a more comprehensive list.